


Finding the Words

by antigrav_vector



Series: CapIM Bingo fills - 2016-2 [20]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Iron Man (Comic), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), The Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Awkward Dates, Cap_Ironman Bingo, Identity Porn, M/M, Silver Age, Stony Bingo, Stony Bingo 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 02:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8602870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: After one date too many that gets interrupted, Steve makes a Decision. He's got to tell Tony.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for the 'half of one, six dozen of the other' square on my bingo card. Unbeta'ed, so please forgive any remaining errors.

It had begun quietly. They'd hung out together in the Mansion almost constantly for years before one of their missions had slapped Steve in the face with the knowledge that he was absolutely head over heels for Iron Man. He hadn't said anything about it, though.

A few months later, he'd had a minor epiphany watching Iron Man talk about one of his employer's new ideas, gesturing enthusiastically and broadly. Steve had been more struck with the similarity of Iron Man's mannerisms and Tony Stark's.

He hadn't said anything _then_ , either. Just tucked the knowledge away. Iron Man had repeatedly said that he couldn't reveal his identity. That it would kill Stark Industries' stock prices and reputation in one blow.

Steve, for his part, had disagreed with that assessment every time, even knowing who was in the suit, and still did. But he had to concede the point that it would cause one hell of a media storm. So he'd kept quiet.

That had gotten complicated when Tony Stark had asked Steve Rogers out to dinner. Tony had no idea that comics artist Steve Rogers and Captain America were one and the same. But Steve hadn't been able to turn down the invitation, for all that he knew it was just asking for trouble.

And cause trouble it had. More than once.

Most recently, they'd been having dinner at Steve's favourite greasy little diner on 59th when the call had come in. Tony had winced when his Avengers Identicard had gone off. Steve's (thank goodness) had been set to silent mode, so it had simply vibrated insistently in his pocket. Muttering some feeble excuse about taking an important call and he'd have to take a rain check for the second half of the date, Tony had stood and hurried off, grabbing a waitress and handing her a credit card as he went.

Steve had watched him go, shaking his head when Tony had disappeared into the _restroom_ of all places, and then he'd taken off as well, taking the credit card back from the waitress -- who'd run it, mystified -- and dashing out of the restaurant.

The charade was getting ridiculous. It wasn't the first time their respective secret identities had cost them half a date. Soon, Steve resolved, he'd have to come clean. And maybe buy Tony about six dozen roses.

Two weeks later, this time at one of Tony's fancy restaurants and dolled up appropriately, Steve finally gave in to the promptings of his conscience. "Tony," he said, putting his hand on his date's, "I have to tell you something."

Tony had stopped short in he middle of whatever silly story he'd been telling and went tense. After a pause, he asked, "What is it?"

Swallowing back his nerves, Steve looked down for a moment, just staring at their almost-clasped hands. When he looked up, he spoke voice low. "I know it's you, Shellhead."

Tony went red, then waxy pale. "What are you talking about?" He hissed, clearly angry and ready to deny everything.

"I should have told you from the start," Steve apologized without raising his voice above a murmur to keep his words from carrying, "but I couldn't find a way to do it without getting you angry at me. I fell for you years ago, after that day when you fished my shield out of that enormous mutated catfish. Figured out it was you in the armour not long after."

Tony was staring at him again, stunned and agape this time. "Winghead?"

Steve knew his smile was a bit crooked. "Yeah, Tony, it's me."

A slightly strained silence fell between them.

"Who else knows?" Tony hissed at him, fury seeming to underline the words.

"I haven't told anyone," Steve replied, unfazed. He'd expected this kind of reaction. "Maybe some of the others on the team have guessed, but that's on them."

Tony stared him down for a long minute before he relaxed incrementally. "Damn it," he grumbled. "How did we even get ourselves into this tangle?"

Steve raised an eyebrow at him. "Because you didn't want to tell anyone who was in the suit, and I never thought we'd end up in this position, so I never told you I had a day job."

"Shit," Tony muttered through a reluctant smile, "we're both oblivious bastards. You owe me so many apologies."

"You're a fine one to talk," Steve retorted. "And how am I supposed to do that? Buy out a flower shop?"

"Nah," Tony chuckled at him. "I'll show you when we get home."


End file.
